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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. charge — a price
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rule — government
  9. pop — to visit
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. mug — a cup
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. rule — a law
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to click
  20. mug — a face
  21. pop — music
  22. bear — the animal
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com